NEWS FLASH: We cannot afford to make another mistake against Fleetwood Town because of.

Pierce Sweeney talks the recent defeats, the fan forum, whether his game time is being managed, and Jack Fitzwater for speaking so candidly in the media about his battle with colitis

PIERCE SWEENEY IS THE CLUB CAPTAIN OF EXETER CITY FC

Having come up short at home to Derby and away at Lincoln, we can’t afford another slip up when Fleetwood visit St James Park on Saturday. As things stand, the League One table still looks reasonably healthy, with us lying 14th, seven points above the relegation zone.

However, having played more games than all 10 of the teams below us – Port Vale have four games in hand, Cambridge and Cheltenham have three, Burton, Carlisle and Wycombe two, and the others one – we can’t rest on our laurels. All the more so when you consider that after Saturday, our next two fixtures are away at fifth-placed Peterborough and at home to high-flying Bolton.

We’re under no illusions – it won’t be an easy game. Notwithstanding we were on the crest of a slump when Fleetwood beat us 3-0 at the Highbury Stadium back in November, the Lancashire side, who have picked up since Charlie Adam replaced Lee Johnson as manager at the turn of the year, are seven points from safety and fighting for their lives.

What is more, former Grecian Jayden Stockley has been in good form over recent weeks with five goals in his last 11 starts. I understand Fleetwood were a little unlucky to lose 2-1 at home to Barnsley on Saturday and we will have to play much better than we did at the weekend if we are to bag a vital three points.

Truth be told, we were poor at Sincil Bank on Saturday. Having said that, I’m not sure Lincoln were a whole lot better and if their keeper hadn’t tipped Jack Aitchinson’s 57th-minute effort on to the crossbar we might have come away with all three points. I think Jack will concede he should probably have scored and had we gone ahead I’d like to think we would have had the nous to see the game out. As it was, we failed to deal with a hopeful punt upfield some 10 minutes later, allowing Joe Taylor to fire the home side ahead.